Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Sky Watcher All View Mount TO Buy or NOT to buy-llema

I have decided to buy the multi purpose ALL VIEW AZ. ALT Mount $800 (in India!) because..
1. I do a lot of video shooting and the motor controlled mount is Worth half the money for me.
2. I do 360x180 panoramas (Self made Panoramic-Head)
3. wide AP.

Query
A.
I have 2 heavy Manfrotto tripod legs (3/8" thread) so can i use my camera tripod legs n carry just the Allview head/Mount only.

B.
I was thinking of putting the AllView head on the photo tripod head and use the tilt (down) to line up the Base (Axis) to NCP.

C.How difficult will it b to
Polar Align an Azalt mount on a wedge in the field ?

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Interactive Constellation on a Skymap 360x180 Experience this #sphere in 360°...Sky map: http://spher.es/479620 http://staringjaring.blogspot.in/2014/08/skymap-19aug-2014.html?m=1

Interactive Constellation on a Skymap 360x180
Experience this #sphere in 360°...Sky map: http://spher.es/479620

http://staringjaring.blogspot.in/2014/08/skymap-19aug-2014.html?m=1

Friday, 5 December 2014

Thursday, 4 December 2014

Barn Door for astrophotography

The Barn Door Works!
After initial bad luck n effort, last night I managed to get over 20-30seconds! With a 90-300mm (@1.6x thats about 480mm)

With $1 !
It's such a elegant idea.
Simple.
1.Take 2 plywood boards of12x18inch.
Join the 2 boards with a hinge( see image).
2. Make a hole EXACTLY 11.4INCH AWAY FROM THE HINGE-PIVOT.
3. Fix a 1/4-(tripod plate screw size) NUT thru the hole. Seal it with super glue.
4. Pass a 3" long 1/4 bolt through the nut.
4.5 Acc to mathematics the 1/4 screw will move 1° in 4 complete turns. Earth rotates 1° in about 4mins!!
So u have to turn the bolt at 1 rotation per Minute. Which is thr speed of the seconds hand in a clock.

5. To make the turning smooth use a metal piece like a Ruppee coin at the point where the Bolt pushes the board.
6. To make the rotating each n precise, stick a long plastic handle.
Make a clock face for you reference.
7 To make it Even more smooth PULL the plastic handle with a RUBBER BAND. This will be needed for Telephoto lens.

Picture s come here.

Friday, 22 August 2014

The Voice of my generation.

Its better to burn out than to fade out...
Kurt Cobain.
Nirvana circa 1990s

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

Lucas in a very vertical panoramic photo

Shot this with a low end mobile.

Micromax canvas HD

Monday, 18 August 2014

My fav Hubble Images (High Resolution)


Snapshots from outer space 

Collisions on a "large scale"